Annihilus
.]] Annihilus is a fictional character in Marvel Comics' Marvel Universe. The character first appears in Fantastic Four Annual #6 (1968), and was created by Stan Lee and Jack Kirby. In 2009, Annihilus was ranked as IGN's 94th Greatest Comic Book Villain of All Time.Annihilus is number 94 IGN. Retrieved 10-05-09. Fictional character biography Untold millennia ago, the Tyannans, a technologically-advanced semi-humanoid/leonine species of the antimatter universe the Negative Zone, seeded barren worlds with life spores. A freak meteor collision hurled one of their ships into the volcanic planet Arthros, where the crew released their spores before starving to death. Many generations later, one of those spores evolved into a weak insectoid creature. Significantly intelligent due to a mutation, the creature found the Tyannan starship wreckage and used a knowledge transference helmet to master the advanced Tyannan technology. This enhanced his intelligence and strength, creating a "Cosmic Control Rod" and body armaments. Obsessed with survival, the paranoid creature, which came to be known as Annihilus, set out to destroy any other living being he viewed as a possible threat to his existence. Annihilus used his newly acquired power to dominate other lifeforms that had arisen from the spores on Arthros, and plotted to either conquer or destroy the neighboring worlds in the Negative Zone. He transformed many prisoners via the Tyannans' Gene Transmuter into his servile Scavengers. .]] Annihilus first encountered the Fantastic Four when Reed, Ben, and Johnny entered the Negative Zone seeking anti-particles needed to treat Sue's cosmic ray-related pregnancy complications. Annihilus' minions captured the heroes, but they escaped, stealing his Control Rod. They returned it after siphoning off the needed anti-particles and returned to Earth.Fantastic Four Annual #6 Annihilus next invaded the Microverse, a dimension accessed via the energies of shrinking, sending his Insectivorid drones to conquer worlds in his name. Psycho-Man tried to control the dimensional interface leading to the Microverse, but the Insectovorids, emotionless and immune to his power, overran the entire Sub-Atomica System and forced him to retreat to his worldship. Psycho-Man captured the Silver Surfer and Spider-Man to power his weapons and drive off the invaders, but the heroes escaped, leaving Annihilus and Psycho-Man to battle for control of the worldship. Annihilus' Microverse invasion was presumably repelled. Shortly thereafter, Doctor Doom stole Annihilus' Rod in a complex scheme to steal Galactus' cosmic power. Almost immediately, Annihilus captured the human Rick Jones, who was often stranded in the Negative Zone through a bond he shared with Kree soldier Captain Mar-Vell. Annihilus released Jones when the Fantastic Four retrieved his Control Rod from Dr. Doom. Later, Annihilus was challenged by Janus the Nega-Man, a research scientist and contemporary of Reed who developed a module capable of harnessing antimatter energy, within the Negative Zone. Annihilus defeated Janus, forcing the Nega-Man to lead him to Earth, but Janus was instead seemingly killed in the exploding atmosphere where matter meets antimatter. Fantastic Four #108-110 When Mar-Vell used Reed's technology to free Rick Jones from the Negative Zone—thus meaning that Mar-Vell would no longer be forced to return to the Zone—Annihilus nearly crossed over to Earth along with Jones, but was driven back by the Avengers, the Vision turning intangible and tricking Annihilus into falling back into the portal to Negative Zone.Avengers #89 Jones later returned to the Negative Zone, but his ability to access the Destiny Force—a near-infinite power source inherent in all humanity—protected him from Annihilus.Avengers #96-97 Annihilus battled the Frightful Four, and once again attempted to escape the Negative Zone, but was foiled by Spider-Man and the Human Torch.Marvel Team-Up #2 Sensing great power within Franklin Richards, Annihilus once abducted him, along with the Fantastic Four, Medusa, Wyatt Wingfoot, and Agatha Harkness into the Negative Zone. He attempted to tap the unknown power of Franklin, amplifying his powers out of control. The Four defeated Annihilus and escaped back to Earth, but Reed was forced to temporarily shut down Franklin's mind to protect Earth's Solar System.Avengers #140-141 When the Mad Thinker regained control of his "most powerful android," which Annihilus had previously transmuted into one of his Scavenger servants, it stole Annihilus' Control Rod, morphing into monster form. Annihilus was forced to team up with Reed, who had been stranded in the Negative Zone by the Brute (Reed Richards of the High Evolutionary's Counter-Earth), to foil the Mad Thinker's plan to conquer both the Negative Zone and Earth. The monster android was ultimately defeated, and Annihilus regained his Rod.Fantastic Four #181-183 Annihilus next forged the first of many uneasy alliances with Blastaar, another Negative Zone warlord who ruled the planet Baluur. When his monarchy was overthrown, Blastaar offered to serve Annihilus in exchange for assistance in regaining control of Baluur. Although Annihilus viewed Blastaar as emotional and weak, he agreed to Blastaar's proposal, secretly planning to betray his newfound ally. Annihilus showed Blastaar his new weapon, the Super-Adaptoid—a powerful Advanced Idea Mechanics android which Annihilus "found" and reprogrammed, but when Nyglar, Blastaar's mate, grew suspicious of Annihilus and sent out a distress signal, the Thing and Avengers responded and defeated the villains. Annihilus slew Nyglar, after which Blastaar stole the Control Rod and left Annihilus to weaken and deteriorate rapidly.Marvel Two-in-One #75 Dying and desperate, Annihilus slipped through the portal to Earth while the Fantastic Four explored the Negative Zone. He created an impenetrable barrier around the Baxter Building, taking Franklin and Alicia Masters hostage. He attempted to merge the Earth universe with the Negative Zone, nearly destroying both in the process. He battled the Avengers and was defeated by the Fantastic Four as they returned to Earth. Narrowly surviving the ensuing conflict, Annihilus returned to the Negative Zone.Fantastic Four #251-254; Avengers #233; Fantastic Four #255-256 He was revived by Blastaar and regained his Control Rod, battling the Fantastic Four yet again.Fantastic Four #289-290 . Cover to Thor #405. Art by Ron Frenz.]] Annihilus next attacked the dimension of Asgard, home of the Norse Gods, which had partially drifted into the Negative Zone for a time after the Rainbow Bridge was shattered. Annihilus slew several of Asgard's elite guard, the Crimson Hawks, and almost defeated the mighty Thor and Balder before finally falling in battle to Odin, King of Asgard.Thor #405-406 Later, when Odin entered a week-long "Odinsleep" to renew his godly energies, Annihilus kidnapped his dormant body and transported it to the Negative Zone to try to tap into the Odinpower. Annihilus was soon located by the god Heimdall and defeated by Eric Masterson (as Thor), with Balder, and Sif. Masterson seemingly destroyed Annihilus, and returned Odin to Asgard.Thor #434-435 Shortly thereafter, the extra-dimensional energy vampire Rune was defeated and cast into the Negative Zone. The weakened Rune attempted to steal the Control Rod, but was defeated by Annihilus and held prisoner within a cosmic singularity until eventually escaping through a portal. After investigating a strong energy pulse within the Negative Zone, Annihilus and Blastaar were imprisoned alongside the Fantastic Four by the Brute, who had enslaved the Tyannans as his personal army. Annihilus and his fellow captives eventually escaped and defeated the Brute, but Reed helped the Tyannans seal themselves off from the rest of the Negative Zone before a vengeful Annihilus and Blastaar were able to conquer them. Soon after, Annihilus and Blastaar joined forces with fellow Negative Zone warlord Syphonn, who created the Conqueror Wheel to access the Earth universe. During a confrontation with Adam Warlock, Annihilus and Blastaar realized that Syphonn planned to betray them-so they betrayed him first, forcing Syphonn to retreat as his Conqueror Wheel was destroyed by Warlock's allies. Stranded on the Negative Zone world of Argor by a glitch in Reed's Fold Space Transceptor prototype, the Fantastic Four stowed aboard Annihilus' monstrous spacecraft, but were soon detected and fought a heated battle with Annihilus inside a cargo hold. Seizing the Control Rod, Reed combined its technology with his Fold Space Transceptor and opened an access portal that allowed the Fantastic Four to escape Annihilus' spacecraft. Later, Annihilus faced a major setback when the N-Explorers, a team funded by the Gideon Trust to explore and loot the Negative Zone, stole his Control Rod. While fighting the N-Explorers for possession of his Rod, Annihilus was decapitated and slain by Hellscout, a descendant of 17th-century Puritan settlers who had been stranded in the Negative Zone for centuries. Upon Annihilus' death, his body released a pod containing a nymph-like clone possessing his memories. After his new body's maturation, Annihilus awoke from his rebirth, but found the Control Rod missing and his empire in ruins. When Reed planned a new superhuman prison in the Negative Zone, the Fantastic Four were assaulted by Annihilus, who believed they had stolen his Control Rod. After a brief skirmish, the Fantastic Four subdued him, only to be attacked by a second Annihilus who had apparently also been spawned upon the death of his predecessor. Each believing himself to be the true Annihilus and the other the thief, the two Annihili fought each other, allowing the Fantastic Four to escape. Annihilation The conflict between the two Annihilus spawn, however, seems to have been resolved, as it appears one of them—the other presumably deceased—is now leading the Annihilation Wave, an enormous fleet of Negative Zone battleships, ostensibly claimed to have the goal of conquering the universe. He claims that the universe is expanding into areas of the Negative Zone, making the universe now rightfully his territory. His forces have already destroyed the Kyln, an intergalactic power station and maximum security prison, and the planet Xandar, headquarters of the Nova Corps. He has since gained the aid of Thanos, and two beings that were trapped in the Kyln by Galactus, Tenebrous, and Aegis. Tenebrous and Aegis then managed to defeat Galactus and the Silver Surfer, and the two are connected to a giant mechanism in Thanos' starship. It has now been revealed that Annihilus' goal is actually creating a massive Power Cosmic bomb with which to destroy the Universe and the Negative zone, leaving Annihilus the only survivor. Drax, however, with the help of the Silver Surfer, manages to free Galactus, who then nearly annihilates the Annihilation Wave, with Galactus, the Silver Surfer, Nova, Phyla-Vell, and Star-Lord, and the surviving Annihilus the only beings still alive in the area. Nova then has a final battle against Annihilus, in which Phyla manages to steal away the Quantum Bands, and Nova then finally kills Annihilus, by shoving his fist down his throat and ripping out his internal organs. In the epilogue, however, Annihilus' surviving general of his armies, Ravenous, is seen taking a newborn egg for one of the last surviving queen insects, and holding a fetal looking bug in it, proclaiming "THE LORD ANNIHILUS LIVES!" At the 2009 New York Comic Con - as part of the War of Kings panel - it was announced that there were plans for the Annihilus baby in War of Kings: Ascension.NYCC 09: Marvel's War of Kings Panel During the Ascension storyline, the Negative Zone is invaded by Darkhawk and his ally and fellow Raptor, Talon. They discover that the infant Annihilus and his Cosmic Control Rod had been placed under the care of a lesser lord of the Negative Zone, Catastrophus. Catastrophus had been using the Cosmic Control Rod to stunt the development of the infant Annihilus, hoping to prolong his own rule. Talon slew Catastrophus and seized the Control Rod, before calling out to the infant Annihilus and asking it to remember in the future that he had spared the creature's life.War of Kings: Ascension #2 Annihilus' victims During Annihilation * The Kyln * The Nova Corps * Quasar * 90% of all Skrull Planets * Countless billions of many races. Powers and abilities Annihilus is capable of self-propelled flight and can withstand the vacuum of space. He wears "armor"—actually an insectoid exoskeleton with some armored components—that grants him resistance to most forms of injury (extreme temperatures, ballistic force, bullets, etc.) He is also superhumanly strong. Annihilus wields the Cosmic Control Rod, a weapon of great power. It allows him to manipulate cosmic energy in order to manipulate the molecular structure of matter. The rod is capable of projecting vast amounts of destructive energy and concussive force. Continuous exposure to the cosmic energies of the rod has also retarded the aging process of its wielder, making Annihilus virtually immortal. Though not always engaging himself in direct combat, Annihilus has proved to be a formidable opponent, and was able to easily defeat the Thing and Blastaar in individual fights. Annihilus also sometimes wields energy pistols based on Tyannan technology that he has modified. In Annihilation: Nova, Annihilus killed Quasar, and gained his Quantum Bands, adding to Annihilus' power. By using these in combination with most of his stores power reserves Annihilus was able to withstand a massive blast from Galactus in the Annihilation '' series. While the blast decimated his entire army, along with several solar systems, Annihilus was able to survive. He also leads an elite personal guard, the Centurions, 100 superpowered aliens, each from a different Negative Zone world. They are extremely loyal to him and form a devastatingly effective army. At present, the source of Annihilus' vastly increased powers are unknown—or if, in fact, the extent of his powers is a retcon; in the Annihilation miniseries, he was able to withstand a simultaneous assault by Nova (now the sole recipient of the energies once dispersed throughout the entire Nova Corps and hundreds if not thousands of times more powerful than ever before), and Quasar, who has been an even match in combat with the Silver Surfer. In fact, as was previously mentioned, he overpowered and killed Quasar with very little apparent effort. This may be due to Annihilus seizing control of the "Opposing Force" described as being the Negative Zone's version of the Power Cosmic, part of which he bestowed upon Ravenous and other Seekers (beings empowered with the Opposing Force with the intention of hunting down powered individuals and harvesting their energies for Annihilus' use). Though Annihilus has knowledge and mastery of technology centuries beyond what is known on Earth, his intelligence is only above average compared to normal humans; his sole motivation is to conquer and he is not an original thinker. Other versions Mangaverse In the Marvel Mangaverse, Annihilus is a gigantic, hundred-foot tall monster that attacks the Earth in order to destroy it. He is confronted and defeated by the Fantastic Four. Annihilus' appearance and powers in this incarnation are inspired by the anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion, as are most of the Fantastic Four characters Manga versions. Ultimate Annihilus The Ultimate Fantastic Four encountered an Annihilus-like creature in their first foray into the N-Zone. Translating machines implanted in the Four's space suits dubbed the creature '''Nihil', though Nihil himself stated this is a caste title and not his proper name. Nihil ruled over a space station composed of the fused remains of several alien space ships. It orbited near a dying red dwarf star for warmth because the whole N-Zone is experiencing entropic decay. Like Annihilus, Nihil and his caste are from a species that can live over a million years. Not wanting to die before he is supposed to naturally, when Nihil learned that the UFF were from a different, younger universe he engineered a plan to escape and kill them. Johnny Storm, who for the entire trip had been experiencing discomfort, fell ill and was rushed by Sue back to their ship. Reed Richards and Ben Grimm went along with her but once they returned to tell Nihil of their situation Nihil revealed his intention to steal their ship, named by Johnny as the Awesome, and go to Earth. He exploded his translation devices, thereby rupturing Reed and Ben's space suits and exposing them to the N-Zone's highly acidic atmosphere. Nihil then sent his previously unseen soldiers to kill them but Reed sealed his damaged suit by covering his shattered face mask with his hand, and Ben discovered his lungs filter out poisons, enabling him to battle Nihil. In the ensuing fight, Ben ripped Nihil's right wing off, most of Nihil's soldiers were beaten by the enslaved alien refugees living on the space station, and Ben and Reed escaped to The Awesome. Nihil then launched a bioship after the UFF when they were racing back to Earth. Nihil's flagship managed to make it through but both ships crashed on to the Las Vegas Strip. Another battle started between Nihil and the Fantastic Four. During it, Johnny Storm emerged from the Awesome, discovering that he would periodically enter hibernation and shed his dead skin cells so that his powers would regenerate, and then entered the fight. At the climax of the battle, Nihil pinned Reed to the ground and opened his jaws to consume him, but Reed, stating that he was better than Nihil because he could adapt and Nihil just wanted to rule, stretched and jammed a plasma emitting weapon into Nihil's mouth. Nihil tried to pry the rod out by the trigger and his head was subsequently blown up. Nihil is at this time presumed dead and his body is most likely in government possession. Many of Nihil's soldiers survived and they were presumably captured if not killed. The lasting affect of this battle is that the Fantastic Four's secrecy was blown and the team had to be given a formal introduction to the world. Other media Television * Annihilus appears in the Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends episode "The Prison Plot", as an illusion created by Mastermind. * Annihilus appears in the 1994 Fantastic Four animated series voiced by Clyde Kusatsu. * Annihilus appears in the 2006 Fantastic Four animated series, voiced by Scott McNeil. Film Don Payne has expressed interest in having Annihilus as a villain in possible future installments in the Fantastic Four film franchise. Video games Annihilus appears in the 2005 Fantastic Four video game as a boss character. He is faced by Mister Fantastic and The Thing in an underground lab mutated by cosmic radiation, which presumably is the explanation for Annihilus' origin within the game. He is voiced by Lex Lang. Annihilus also appears in the Blizzard Entertainment game Diablo II: Lord of Destruction as a unique small charm, which can be found only from a random server event, and the character defeating the special boss.Annihilus Charm Description References External links *Annihilus on the Marvel Universe Character Bio Wiki Category:Extraterrestrial supervillains Category:Marvel Comics supervillains Category:Marvel Comics aliens Category:Marvel Comics characters with superhuman strength Category:Marvel Comics characters who can fly Category:Fictional dictators Category:Fictional mass murderers Category:1968 comics characters debuts